Network Cameras

About Network Cameras

In today’s world, wireless technology is constantly being applied. Wireless surveillance cameras are increasingly popular thanks to their low cost, simple installation and ease of use. We stock a wide range of smart cameras that can help you remotely monitor your home, business or office.

What is a network camera?

A network camera is a type of video camera that connects to the internet. Network cameras are commonly used as webcams, allowing web users to participate in video calls. Other types of network cameras include those that are used for surveillance purposes. Most network cameras are available in resolutions of 0.3 to 29 megapixels, but some are available in high-definition resolutions of 720p or 1080i. They include built-in radio transmitters that are capable of sending video footage over the air instead of a through a wire. The transmitted footage is then picked up by a specified receiver and viewed by the camera operator.

Network cameras are a modern alternative to CCTV cameras and have a variety of practical advantages over traditional CCTV, including:

Improved video clarity

In the past, the only types of surveillance available were CCTV cameras. Although a useful security measure, CCTV cameras had many limitations, one of which was their lack of picture quality. Unlike network cameras, the resolution of CCTV cameras is relatively poor, providing images that are hazy, blurry and impossible to zoom into. Network cameras, on the other hand, are specifically designed to capture higher-resolution videos that are easier for users to interpret.

Internet capacity

CCTV cameras transmit footage to televisions via a broadcast television format. Although videos can be taken from the cameras and put on other devices, such as computers, footage cannot be directly sent to any device other than a television. Network cameras, however, can connect to WiFi and can send footage directly to a computer, laptop, tablet or phone. Users can view footage captured by their network cameras from anywhere and at any time, provided their device is connected to the internet. The fact that videos can be viewed in real-time is significant in terms of security; it gives users the ability to respond quickly to potential threats.

Two-way audio systems

One of the most novel features of network cameras is the two-way audio system, a system that allows users to speak via the camera system. The user speaks into a phone or tablet and the message is relayed to any individuals present in the camera’s vicinity. Two-way audio systems have a range of practical benefits; they allow users to scare people away and allow people who would have previously worked in hazardous situations (such as in a petrol station at night) to work remotely, using the camera to interact directly with customers and observe situations from a safer location. Network cameras attached to a house can be used to view visitors without opening the door.

What is the difference between analog and digital network cameras?

There are two types of RF transmissions – analog and digital. Network cameras can be either analog or digital, depending on how they operate.

Analog network cameras operate over one of three frequencies, using either the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, or 5.8 GHz bandwidth to transmit video footage. Most analog cameras operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency, the same frequency that many other household items - such as microwaves and video games controllers - also use.

Advantages of using analog network cameras include the fact that the cameras are often good value for money, and the potential to send footage to more than one receiver at a time. On the downside, they are more susceptible to interference - a consequence of constantly using a frequency that is shared by a variety of other items - and the possibility of your footage being intercepted.

Digital network cameras work on the same frequencies as analog cameras, but cycle through the various frequencies regularly to avoid interference. The way in which digital cameras operate ultimately means that transmissions from digital cameras are more secure than those from analog devices. The video and audio captured by digital network cameras is often of a higher quality than that gathered by analog devices.